Roa Island Watch Tower and Customs House

getoffthechair.com Interesting place, and very good for practice photography technique, or architecture and history. This place presents very well at sunrise and sunset. It easily accessible from main road of the Roa Island, few walking steps from the main bus stop. The building is listed at English Heritage as a Watchtower, this building was originally the Customs House for Roa Island and dates, built in 1847. It has a central archway with 2-storey, 1-bay boathouse wing on left and small square tower on right. It has had various uses including being a chapel for a while, the "Roa Island Mission". It is now described as a workshop. Customs house now workshop. Pebbles laid in chevrons, red sandstone dressings; graduated slate roof. Central archway with 2-storey, 1-bay boathouse wing on left and small square tower on right. Quoins, chamfered plinth. Archway: 2-centred, double-chamfered and with keystone; 2 patterned shields below corbel table supporting 3 merlons. Boathouse set forward on left has doorway with deeply-chamfered, quoined surround and square-sectioned hoodmould; above is a 2-light chamfered, mullioned window having latticed iron casements. Stair turret on left with slit windows. Shield beneath corbel table to incomplete embattlements; corner turret to right. Tower on right of arch has lancet window and door in left return. Rear: blocked pointed arch to boathouse; 2-light window over as front.

This is an impressive and historic building but there are no obvious facilities

Interesting building, just a shame you can't get inside.

Interesting mid 19th century listed building facing out over Piel Channel.

Lots of potential were it’s history made public.

Private owned, it's under a meticulous refurbishment.

Interesting historical building

Directions to Roa Island Watch Tower and Customs House with public transportation

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